The present invention relates to utility distribution systems, and in particular to a modular mounting system for the distribution of utilities at individual workstations.
Portable partition systems for open office spaces, and other similar settings, are well-known in the art. Individual partition panels or other demountable partition systems are interconnected in different configurations to form separate offices, workstations, or work settings. For such an office division system to be practical and usable for office workers, provisions must also be incorporated in such systems for the routing and delivery of office utilities to the individual work areas. Typically, office utilities are either preassembled within individual office panels, or are routed along raceways positioned at the top or bottom of the panel whereby user accessible outlets are provided at regularly spaced intervals. More recent, demountable wall systems incorporate a beltway positioned at worksurface height in which a modular utility distribution system is housed to provide office utilities such as electrical power, data, and communications at user access ports located at spaced intervals along the beltway. However, the placement of these user accessible outlets are often inconveniently positioned, inaccessible, or in insufficient quantity to fulfill the needs of the user.
As an attempted solution to alleviate the problems of inadequate accessibility of utility outlets, a variety of utility distribution modules have been introduced into the market. Generally, these modules incorporate within one housing a plurality of electrical outlets in combination with a plurality of data/communication connection outlets. The modules are then attached to or integrated with worksurfaces positioned within the individual workspaces of an office setting. These modules are typically mounted below the worksurface at a rear portion thereof such that accessibility by the user is gained either by an access door incorporated into the worksurface thereby dedicating valuable real estate for utility access or the user must inconveniently reach below and to a rear portion of the worksurface to gain access to the utility outlets.
Further, these utility distribution modules are generally preconfigured with a fixed number of utility outlets. Utility requirements of individual users usually is not consistent, and some users will require a large number of utility outlets while an adjacent user may have minimal requirements therefor. Single modules having a fixed number of utility outlets and a predetermined mounting position with respect to the worksurface detract from and run counter to the current trend of adaptability and flexibility of modular office systems designed to tailor the workspace to the needs of a particular user.
Thus, there is a need for a utility distribution mounting system which is tailorable to the individual needs of a workspace occupant. Further, such a utility delivery system should be tailorable with respect to its location within the workspace as well as tailorable to the quantity and configuration of utility outlets available to the user. Prior utility delivery systems have certain drawbacks and disadvantages, particularly with respect to the need for flexibility, positioning, and providing an optimum quantity of utility outlets for an individual user.